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Four UFCJC alumni to be honored as UFAA “40 Under 40” during June 25-27 Alumni Weekend

June 11, 2026

Four University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) alumni were selected for UF Alumni Association’s 2026 “40 Gators Under 40” awards. The awards recognize young alumni whose achievements positively reflect UF. They will be presented on the UF campus in a ceremony during UF Alumni Weekend from June 25-27.

The 2026 honorees include:

Siera Calhoun-Pollard

Sierra Calhoun-Pollard, B.S. Telecommunication 2016, is director of the Blackstone LaunchPad and a UF professor of Space Entrepreneurship. She also founded the Winnovation Agency which leads high-profile sponsorship and sports marketing campaigns with Adidas, Stan Smith and collegiate hockey organizations. She resides in Bluffton, South Carolina.

Suzanne Cesler

Suzanne Cesler, B.S. Public Relations 2007, is a senior project leader at Amazon overseeing global platforms supporting more than one million users, delivering scalable solutions that improve retention, engagement and fairness in career advancement. She pioneered Amazon’s first internal career mobility platform and an artificial intelligence (AI) driven insights engine. She resides in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Raymond Dueñas

Raymond Dueñas, B.S. Telecommunication 2012, is the Community Affairs director at the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald. For more than a decade, he has led numerous roles within the advertising and marketing departments. He oversees the ammia; Silver Knights Awards and the Miami Herald Spelling Bee. He serves as the professional development chair for United Way Miami’s Young Leaders Executive Committee. He resides in Miami.

Christina Simpson

Christina Simpson, B.S. Advertising 2007, is the co-founder of The Fenix Collective, a Hispanic and female-founded consulting agency in travel, tourism and live entertainment. With more than 15 years of experience in sales and business development, Simpson has held senior leadership roles including senior vice president of business development at Go City, a British travel company. She resides in Davie, Florida.

Criteria for the award include being an alumnus of the University in good standing, under the age of 40 by April of that year, making a significant impact on their industry, and having professional and/or civic accomplishments.

Category: Alumni News, College News
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